The Siege of Robin Hood

When I saw the poster I got the vibe of Mad Max but how wrong I was, I knew once I started watching it.

Well, they did attempt to make it but too bad that it failed.

I hope they do better in the future.

This whole movie was like a toddler made it. I actually think a toddler could probably make a better film if i'm being honest. Terrible acting, special FX, roll play etc...Made it about 20 minutes in before I couldn't take it any longer.

I attempted to ignore reviews but, jesus. First couple minutes in and you could tell how awful this film is. Actors are just bouncing around making random sounds not knowing where to even look. It's like a food lion brand Disney TV show.

Say what you will about the legion of Robin Hood depictions. Yes, like Batman, you could argue that they've been done to death, so the choice to lighten the tone with a fun, comedic (at times) martial arse-kicking, ambitious indie offering, is a sound one. I found that preferable to Crowe chewing the intense scenery in Ridley Scott's departure from the myth. Siege works because it doesn't take itself too seriously and offers enough action and heart to appeal to the less cynical of viewers. Paul can fight and carry the leading man gauntlet, and for the most part, the supports do well. Forgive any gaps in 'Hollywood quality' as this film was intended as an antidote to the grandiosity of more like minded, mega budgeted fare. A solid, promising debut.

Okay, yes, I suppose rating this film an 8/10 is generous, but I think it's about time that independent filmmakers get a fair shake. After all, sometimes our beloved Hollywood filmmakers spend over $100 million dollars and still produce a turkey. This movie, on the other hand, immediately looked like something that some of my friends (my more talented friends, that is) shot with their cell phones at a Renaissance faire and edited on a MacBook, but you know what? It had heart. It was fun, funny, and had the spirit of adventure that Robin Hood stories should have.

Was it everything I ever wanted from a Robin Hood film? No, but did I waste two hours watching it? No! I had fun. It felt like an enthusiastic friend telling me a fun story. And, by the way, where did Robin Hood legends come from? They came from the common people, not the ridiculously rich people, such as our multimillion/billion dollar Hollywood elites.

And who am I to tell you this movie is a worthwhile watch? I'm not a filmmaker, but I do have one of the most ambitious webpages for Robin Hood film, TV, and video game reviews. I've also seen every film on the AFI top 100 and the revised list they published a decade later, and while this puts me still in the category of "film enthusiast", I still count myself as a self-proclaimed expert when it comes to Robin Hood films.

So, if you want a perfect film, bound to go down in the annals of film history, this isn't it. If you want a fun Robin Hood adventure, told by the common folk to the common folk, then cast off the guise of pretentious Hollywood film critic for a moment, and just enjoy the fun of watching this film, like a lowly commoner.